Tonight’s episode of NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit will showcase failed Republican Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin’s infamous remark that “if it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down” so the woman would not get pregnant.

NBC’s promo for the March 27 episode touts a storyline “ripped from the headlines” with “words that set off a national controversy.” In the promo run at the end of last week’s show, a man on a witness stand, who is sporting a flag lapel pin, declares: “It’s nearly impossible for a victim of legitimate rape to become pregnant.” [UPDATED with a summary of what aired]

The network is at least -- seemingly -- not portraying a conservative politician as the one defending a rapist, changing the circumstances, in the series set in New York City, to an expert witness defending a man on trial for attacking a TV sports reporter.

[UPDATE: The witness who argues a woman cannot become pregnant from rape is identified as a “Congressman” and “obstetrician” who “tried to criminalize abortion after rape because it’s tampering with evidence.” A detective charges: “The clown’s a crackpot.” The defendant is found not guilty after a female juror, another juror reports, “bought the legitimate rape argument.”]

The plot summary for the March 27 episode, titled “Legitimate Rape,” which will air at 9 PM EDT/PDT, 8 PM CDT, the second hour of prime time:

A popular sports reporter (Lauren Cohan) accuses a cameraman (David Marciano) of rape and stalking; when the victim learns she is pregnant as a result of the rape, the defense employs controversial tactics in hope of gaining favor with the jury.

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